Richards hopes to make Man City return

"It's coming along nicely," Richards told Sky Sports News of his recovery from knee surgery. "It's still not 100 per cent yet, but I won't rush it.

"I just want to take as long as I can on it and make sure that it is right and hopefully come back as soon as possible. It has been frustrating, but it is frustrating for any footballer to be on the sidelines.

"It is part and parcel of football and you just have to take it as it comes. Hopefully I will come back firing like I was before. I'd do anything to play. But until the manager and the medical staff think that I am good enough to play, they don't want to risk it.

"But I think I am getting towards that (playing) and hopefully I can get in a couple of games before the end of the season."